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[Jeff Cunningham]

Former Salem player to assist Wilder at ODU

By Jeff Cunningham | jcunningham@hrvarsity.com

Old Dominion University announced Monday the hiring of two new assistants for the school's upstart football program: Zohn Burden and Ron Whitcomb.

Burden played high school football for Salem as a wide receiver before going on to Virginia Military Institute, where he finished as the Big South's all-time leader in receptions (162) and receiving yards (2,111). The 2006 VMI graduate was an assistant coach last season at Fork Union Military Academy near Charlottesville.

Burden will act as Wilder's assistant defensive backs coach.

Whitcomb, who will serve as quarterbacks coach for the Monarchs, was quarterback at Maine under ODU head coach Bobby Wilder and last season won Atlantic 10 Student-Athlete of the Year honors in 2006 after setting school marks in completions (755), total offense (8,801 yards) and touchdown passes (68). He ranks second in school history in passing yards (8,183) and in completion percentage (.592).

ODU will begin play in the 2009 season, slated to join the Colonial Athletic Association in 2011, where it will join recent NCAA Division I-AA champions James Madison (2004) and Delaware (2003).

Wilder and his staff are already on the recruiting trail, with Ocean Lakes corner T.J. Cowart among the local players on the team's list. ODU will recruit for the 2008 season, redshirting everyone for that first year before 2009's kickoff.

For more information on ODU's football program, visit http://odusports.cstv.com/